The Sewer King's Alligators
by IvyValentine1
Summary: The Sewer King recalls false and actual alligators as he wanders under the streets.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Batman TAS characters.

Wendell frowned with his parents while he walked near them. He paused after he saw something in a shop window. His eyes became wide at the sight of a stuffed alligator. The corners of Wendell's mouth went up. Eyes remained wide. He glanced from the alligator to his frowning parents.

''Toys are expensive,'' Mrs. Lewis said. She saw the return of Wendell's frown. She and Mr. Lewis exchanged glances. Mrs. Lewis saw tears in Wendell's eyes. His trembling lip. His wet face. She smiled.

Mrs. Lewis and Mr. Lewis were thieves after all. They usually obtained jewelry. Things easy to steal. They weren't certain if they were able to steal a toy for their young son. There were other glances. They smiled together.

''We'll obtain the alligator for you, Wendell,'' Mrs. Lewis said.

Wendell's eyes were bigger another time. His smile returned before he wrapped his arms around his happy parents. He released them.

The Lewis family walked into the shop. They were the only ''clients'' there. Glances at the shop owner behind a counter.

Mrs. Lewis walked to the counter. She still smiled. ''Are there other toys? I'm looking for a stuffed animal. Perhaps a plush crocodile. It's for my little boy,'' she said to the owner. She followed the owner to a corner.

Mr. Lewis took the alligator before he ran out of the store with Wendell. After giving the alligator to Wendell, he smiled again. Mr. Lewis viewed Wendell's smile returning. The latter embracing the toy. He was thanked. He nodded.

Mr. Lewis turned to the shop door. Worry formed in his eyes. His wife was in the shop for quite some time.

There were matching smiles as soon as Mrs. Lewis appeared. Her eyes settled on the alligator in Wendell's arms. She was never able to find a stuffed crocodile. She and her family returned home.


	2. Chapter 2

Many years later, Wendell wandered in search of jewelry to steal. His parents were sick. He wished to obtain as much jewelry and food with medicine as possible. Wendell remembered his mother wanting lots and lots of pretties. Frowning, he wandered the barren streets of Gotham City. Perhaps he was able to steal food instead. Bread. Perhaps meat. Medicine.

Wendell heard footsteps and began to smile. Jewelry to obtain? He looked back. Wendell's eyes became wide behind round half-shades.

Six young men smiled. Some struck the ground with sticks. The rest held rocks. They approached Wendell.

''Freak! Your long hair. Your thin face. The clothes,'' a man said. He focused on Wendell's brown suit. Light boots and a sash. A string tie on a frilly blouse. A red cloak.

Wendell stepped back. He turned before a hand seized the side of his coat. His eyes remained wide after another hand seized his trousers and pulled them at a snail's pace. Tears formed in them as soon as his blue and white striped boxers were revealed.

Wendell was released. He ran from the bullies and to a sewer. After entering the sewer, he continued to run. Wendell refused to look back. He heard the footsteps of the men. Their voices.

''A sewer for a freak of nature!''

''Sewer rat!''

Wendell paused the minute he viewed two alligators. He began to step back again. He heard the alligators as they snarled. That was when he remembered the toy alligator he had when he was a boy. Wendell's smile came back. He focused on the alligators again. His eyes were wide another time.

''I'm a friend.''

Wendell looked back before the men approached him. After shaking his head in disbelief, he found himself between the animals. His shades slid down his nose the minute the alligators approached the men. He saw their wide eyes. Wendell blinked repeatedly as the men ran. There was a new smile. He crouched by the alligators. He laughed and scratched their snouts while they wagged their tails. The alligators licked his face. New pets.


	3. Chapter 3

After society shunned Wendell, he refused to return to the streets. Where others harmed him. Wendell never forgot about his parents. His shoulders slumped. Perhaps they were eventually going to find him. He turned to the alligators and smiled. ''You won't harm me. I won't harm you.''

Wendell began to wince after his stomach ached. He had to find food as soon as possible. Perhaps jewelry. What he never had when he was a boy.

Wendell found himself in another sewer area. His eyes were wide as soon as he viewed many children holding one another. They imitated him. There were girls with pigtails and dark garments. One boy with shoulder length hair. They exchanged glances.

Wendell started to smile another time. Children were able to obtain food. Clothing. Jewelry. Wendell was going to be their leader. A leader of the Under-dwellers. The Sewer King.

Many days later, the Sewer King viewed children returning with lots and lots of jewelry. He smiled while many alligators remained near him. His pets never caused him distress. They sometimes attacked anyone entering the sewer. They protected their king. Their snouts were always scratched. Alligators usually viewed the Sewer King's smile as he laughed.

Companions. Pets.


	4. Chapter 4

Chains were attached to collars around the alligators' necks. The Sewer King smiled and walked his pets at the same time. His children were above the sewer as they tried to obtain lots and lots of pretties. The Sewer King looked forward to his alligators attacking anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. He continued to smile. He and his alligators paused after they saw two dark forms. They blinked.

The Sewer King's eyes were wide the minute he viewed his parents. ''Mom? Dad?''

Worry appeared in the Sewer King's parents' eyes.

''We searched and searched for you, Wendell. You never returned home. We found you,'' Mrs. Lewis said. She smiled with Mr. Lewis.

A scowl formed on the Sewer King's face. ''It's Sewer King! Sewer King!'' He watched while his parents exchanged glances. A rare sad expression appeared. ''I'll never be able to return to the streets. To the ones hurting me. Society shunned me. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.''

''Your toy alligator remains on your bed. You loved that toy,'' Mr. Lewis said.

The Sewer King started to scowl again.

''You should be in your bed. Not here,'' Mrs. Lewis said.

The Sewer King continued to scowl.

Alligators tensed and snarled before the Sewer King's parents held one another with new worry in their eyes.

''You'll know where to find us. Sewer King. Wendell. You'll always be our son,'' Mr. Lewis said. He smiled another time. There were visible tears.

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis abandoned the Sewer King with the latter's alligators.

After crouching again, the Sewer King wrapped his arms around the alligators. His new family.

Tears streamed down the Sewer King's face. He began to sob. Alligators licked the Sewer King's wet face. He never laughed or smiled another time.

THE END


End file.
